1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display system, more particularly, to a fingerprint recognizing display system including fingerprint recognizing means in a panel of a display apparatus and an operating method thereof, wherein a fingerprint of an user is read and a program supported by a computer is allowed to be operated only if the read fingerprint is registered in a fingerprint data base of the computer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the environment related to the Internet and the personal computer (PC) rapidly changes, there is an increasing problem that a hacker, i.e., an unauthorized user, can gain access to files, personal or company information on the computer which in turn can be damaged, downloaded or deleted. Additionally all the information in a computer can disappear because of a virus. Accordingly, it becomes necessary to be able to increase the security of the computer or other hosts, such as a terminal unit, network or network-based system to prevent the above problems.
To resolve the above problems, a computer connected to a network includes features such as required password access in order to protect the information therein. However, sometimes a password is chosen as a word easily guessed or a common word easily searched by a search program using dictionary data base. Therefore, an unauthorized user can discover the password and gain access to the data on the computer.
To resolve the problem regarding password protection, a fingerprint recognizing module has been applied to a computer system, wherein a fingerprint data base is established after obtaining the fingerprint of authorized users. Thus, when one desires to gain access to the data on the computer system, or operate a program therein, their fingerprint is compared to the data in the fingerprint data base before they are permitted to use the computer.
For example, such systems were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,306 to Clint O'Conner et al. and entitled Mouse With Security Feature and U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,936 to Greg P. Fitzpatrick et al. and entitled Method And Apparatus For Accessing Touch Screen Desktop Objects Via Fingerprint Recognition.
The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,936 provides touch-sensitive fields on a computer display for user selection. Upon selecting one of the fields with a fingertip, a fingerprint therefrom is analyzed and compared to a list of authorized fingerprints. Once the fingerprint passes inspection, the user is granted access to the underlying program. It is difficult, however, to apply this invention to a general monitor since a touch screen is required.
The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,306 utilizes a computer mouse as an input peripheral device which includes a window area integrally constructed within the mouse and positioned at an area on the mouse upon which a user normally places a finger in operating the mouse. The mouse further includes an illuminating device and a light sensitive detection device for providing a user signature signal representative of the characteristics of the ridge and valley pattern of the fingerprint of a finger placed upon the window area. The signature signal is transmitted to a BIOS within the computer system in which the mouse is operating and compared with one or more stored patterns which have previously been authorized for access to the computer system. When the users signature signal is compared with and matches one of the stored and approved signature signals, the system is enabled and the user is granted access. However, if a fingerprint recognizing module is included into a mouse, it is inconvenient to use the mouse because the weight and size of the mouse are increased.
Also, users often pick up the mouse to move it and in so doing they may drop the it. Thus, a fingerprint recognizing module or a fingerprint recognizing unit within the mouse may be damaged due to the shock caused by its being dropped, and a user's fingerprint may not be correctly recognized. In addition, some computer systems may not need a mouse, but in order to incorporate the fingerprint recognition disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,306 patent, one must buy the mouse having the features disclosed therein. Also, a fingerprint recognizing module is automatically changed at the time of changing a mouse according to the prior art, and the user is charged an unreasonable cost.